Thanks to everyone who answered my earlier question and have helped me get this far with changing my headgasket.

but now i have a new problem

I was putting the cylinder head bolts back on, following the procedure in the haynes manual. I tightened them all to 15 ft/lb, no problem. Then up to 30 ft/lb. Haynes then says i have to tighten them all by 90 degrees, then a further 90 degrees. Well, it took all my strength to turn them that first 90 degrees, and i really dont think they have another 90 degrees in them. i put the torque wrench on a few bolts to check, and their around 50 ft/lb tightness now.

Should i attempt to turn them the last 90? even though i really dont think they can take it? (and im not sure i even have the strength!)

was you using a breaker bar or ratchet? they will be blooming hard to turn with a rachet or small bar

Ive been using a normal ratchet. You reckon thats why they feel so tight?

yep

What engine and i'll check the autodata book?

i'm sure mine said 3x 90 degrees. but yeah i blistered my hands pretty bad doing mine.

its to streach the bolts out.

cheers for all the advice. its a p reg 1.6 16v.

It didnt half creak some when i was turning it the first 90, thats why i thought i best ask before continuing, I was afraid of snapping a bolt.

was the bolt holes all clean and bolts oiled?

The bolt holes looked ok. I used the grease that came with the new head bolts and gave each bolt a light smear of grease.

If i were to take the bolts out now and recheck + clean the bolt holes, would i need new head bolts again? I ask because someone mentioned that they are designed to stretch, and that might affect it when i re-torque them. Any ideas how to ensure that the bolt holes are totally clean?

Autodata think says the same:

not sure on the 1.6 but on the 147 20v the head bolts are strech bolts but they do not need replacing, that came from a mechanics computer doodle as i didnt beleive him.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I got a longer armed socket and it was ok, managed to get bolts 1-6 tightened. Then the ribe bit snapped half way through bolt 7 . So its off to the motor shop tomorow to get a new ribe bit.

I just hope that leaving it with 6 of the bolts at a greater tension wont warp the head or do any lasting damage.

it should not be that difficult to turn them for the last 2 90degrees turns. if it is that difficult it would suggest that you did not run the car for long enough. you need to let it get up to temperature. this will expand all the metal, and make the final 90degrees turns far easier. if you do not run the engine for long enough you risk damaging the threads in the bolt holes when you turn the bolts.

I didnt run the engine at all. Partly because the engine isnt fully rebuilt yet, and partly because it didnt mention about running the engine in the haynes manual

I take it i should rebuild the engine, run it for a bit to stretch the bolts out, then strip it down again and re-tighten them?

oh, and i broke another brand new ribe bit

rebuild the engine, tension bolts to first stage torque, run engine until the cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and turn bolts 90degrees, let engine cool, run engine until cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and tighten bolts final 90degree, then you're done. i always leave the rocker cover off the whole time, and only fit it once the bolts are fully tightened.

where is the thats total bolloks smilie?

manic_monkey said:

and i broke another brand new ribe bit

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What make so i can avoid them..

jug said:

rebuild the engine, tension bolts to first stage torque, run engine until the cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and turn bolts 90degrees, let engine cool, run engine until cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and tighten bolts final 90degree, then you're done. i always leave the rocker cover off the whole time, and only fit it once the bolts are fully tightened.

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Thats what the autodata says to do too

mountainmachine said:

Thats what the autodata says to do too

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does it really? i must apologise then

jug said:

rebuild the engine, tension bolts to first stage torque, run engine until the cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and turn bolts 90degrees, let engine cool, run engine until cooling fan kicks in, switch engine off and tighten bolts final 90degree, then you're done. i always leave the rocker cover off the whole time, and only fit it once the bolts are fully tightened.

Click to expand...

What about the stage 2 torque? Ive been following the haynes manual instructions which outlines a 4 stage procedure. At the moment, ive done the first 3 stages ( up to the first 90 degrees on all of the bolts) and all but the final two have been turned the last 90.

you think its best to take all of the bolts back to stage 2 torque, run it, turn 90, run it again and turn 90 again?

Oh, and one of the ribe bits was a laser i think, cant remember what the other one was